Pitti Uomo: 97th edition - Slideshows | Monocle

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Fashion / Retail

Pitti Uomo: 97th edition

The year is young but the menswear industry has already wrapped up one of its key events: the autumn/winter edition of Pitti Uomo. The menswear tradeshow, which took place this week in a crisp yet sunny Florence, is now in its 31st year and continues to occupy a unique place in the fashion world: it is by far the biggest and most impressive tradeshow, for men’s or womenswear. Some 30,000 buyers and editors flocked to the hallowed halls of the Fortezza da Basso and attended off-site runway shows by Jil Sander and Stefano Pilati’s young label Random Identities. Although official figures have yet to be released, according to fair CEO Raffaello Napoleone, this season there were increased buyer numbers from every nation except Russia and Italy. (The Italian market continues its decline when it comes to internal consumption of clothing.) Here are our Top 15 picks from the fair: these items will hit shops from August but now’s as good a time as any to start making your winter wishlist.

Heimat (Germany)

Heimat is coveted for its fisherman-style beanies and rugged knitted sweaters, all handmade in Germany. The label tends to favour stripes and muted colours but this season it added a splash of colour with this pompom-accented hat.

heimat-textil.com

Man 1924 (Spain)

One of our favourite labels, beloved for its relaxed take on tailoring, Man 1924 is spicing things up this season with a selection of patterned 1970s-inspired shirts. Like all the Basque brand’s products the shirts are made in Spain; team them with a crewneck sweater and Harris Tweed jacket.

man1924.com

Falke (Germany)

To celebrate its 125th anniversary, the family-run German knitwear brand famed for its socks has released a new skiwear collection. The Troyer sweater (pictured) is made from virgin wool that has been specially treated to give it enhanced moisture-management properties, while the orange cuff details add a splash of colour. Ideal for a day in the mountains.

falke.com

Heschung (France)

This derby from the historic French shoemaker is made from calf leather that has been tanned twice, which gives it waterproof qualities – plus an appealing espresso colour. The sturdy rubber sole makes it suitable for the outdoors.

heschung.com

Troubadour x Sunspel (UK)

It can be hard to find a good backpack that looks sophisticated. Search no further: this new all-British collaboration between bag specialist Troubadour and Sunspel, purveyor of all things tasteful and understated, should do the trick. The line includes a rucksack, a tote and a briefcase; they’re made of technical canvas and come in a range of attractive shades.

troubadourgoods.com sunspel.com

Sease (Italy)

These knitted Dinghy sweaters, in soft cashmere, are from the more urban end of the spectrum within Sease’s offering. The Milanese brand is fast building a reputation as a master of stylish, high-performance outdoor kit made from sustainable materials.

sease.it

Woolrich Outdoor (Japan)

A pair of Katahdin down products – in vest or jacket form – are the stars of the new collection from mountain-ready specialist Woolrich Outdoor. The brand, an imprint of Woolrich, makes fun, fashionable outdoor gear; these two-tone styles, which are made from Gore-Tex and filled with recycled down padding, are no exception.

woolrich.eu

Jacques Solovière (France)

The five-year-old French shoemaker has had a rebrand, with a new cursive logo by famed Parisian calligrapher Nicolas Ouchenir. It brings a Gallic flair that complements the label’s charming products, which have an attractive signature creased toe (almost like a pleat) – as seen in these trainers.

jacquessoloviere.com

La Paz (Portugal)

Porto-based La Paz always delivers cheery menswear with a rugged, fisherman-style edge inspired by the brand’s proximity to the Atlantic. This gilet is made from Shetland wool and is inspired by a vintage piece that founders André Bastos Teixeira and José Miguel de Abreu picked up in a market.

lapaz.pt

Descente Allterrain (Japan)

Note the unseen technical properties of this matching Fusionknit jacket and trousers from the Japanese performance-wear master. Both pieces are made from water-repellent, recycled polyester yarn and are cut to optimise the wearer’s range of movement.

allterrain.descente.com

President’s (Italy)

It took a Tuscan artisan between 20-25 hours to meticulously knit this sweater by hand. The cosy alpaca-wool jumper was a standout from heritage Florentine menswear brand President’s, which is helmed by creative director Guido Biondi.

presidents7bell.com

Parajumpers (Italy)

The polar puffers (pictured) are a collaboration between outerwear specialist Parajumpers and Italian fashion designer Leonardo Fasolo. The down-filled bomber jackets are made from hardy cordura ripstop fabric; they come in an oversized fit and an array of colours, including orange, forest green and bright blue.

parajumpers.it

Organic Basics (Denmark)

Organic Basics has found success with its unfussy T-shirts and underwear in soft organic cotton. Now the Copenhagen-based brand is expanding into winter gear, with a line of fishermen-style beanies, gloves and scarves. The pieces are sewn from recycled cashmere: the material is made in Bologna via a method in which used garments are shredded and re-spun to create a new yarn. This process reduces CO2 emissions by 95 per cent compared to virgin cashmere.

organicbasics.com

Traiano (Italy)

Filippo Colnaghi, the man behind this Milanese brand, thinks a lot about the future of tailoring. His distinctive designs – suits and shirts, plus more casual pieces – are made in Italy from high-performance nylon digitally printed with patterns that mimic wool and plaids. The benefit? Everything can be machine-washed and nothing wrinkles. This jacket offers an appealing, relaxed alternative to a traditional blazer.

traiano.com

Sealup (Italy)

Sealup has been turning out very fine raincoats since 1935. We’ve come to expect striking outerwear from the Milanese house and this season didn’t disappoint with pieces such as this double-breasted overcoat with a contrasting, detachable hood.

Correspondents
Daphné Hézard, Jamie Waters

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